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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27964352">Three Stories</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bumblebeesknees/pseuds/bumblebeesknees'>bumblebeesknees</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>CA San Juan, Canon Compliant, Confessions, Gen, Get Together, M/M, Original Character(s), Post-Canon, Post-Timeskip, Pre-Timeskip, What To Do When a 10 Year-Old Earnestly Confesses To You: A Guide by Oikawa Tooru</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 14:48:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,930</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27964352</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bumblebeesknees/pseuds/bumblebeesknees</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>During his last few weeks in Japan, Oikawa Tooru receives an unexpected confession and makes one of his own.<br/>-</p><p>
  <i>"Ah, nevermind. Sorry to disturb you. Come on, Yusuke, let’s go home so Oikawa-san can finish cleaning up–"</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Immediately, little Yusuke’s head snaps up.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>"No!" he says very loudly. His eyes are very wide. "No, we can’t go home! I have – I have something to say to Oikawa-san!"</i>
</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>431</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Three Stories</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>thank you to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/partnerincrime/pseuds/partnerincrime">partnerincrime</a> and <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/oikawashoyo/pseuds/oikawashoyo">oikawashoyo</a> for the encouragement, support, and agreeing that little ishida yusuke is obviously canon &lt;3&lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>FEBRUARY 2013</b>
</p><p>
  <b>OIKAWA TOORU</b>
</p><p>After spending three years as a volunteer coach for the Little Tykes Volleyball class, it’s no surprise that Tooru finds himself bawling along with his gaggle of students when he tells them goodbye.</p><p>"I’ll miss you SO MUCH, Oikawa-san!" wails tiny Kamiya Yuki. "Do you really have to go? Really really? Why can’t you stay here?"  </p><p><i>Ah, Yuki-chan,</i> thinks Tooru, <i>if only you understood the ways of this world.</i> Unfortunately, Kamiya Yuki is seven and has no idea about such things. Even in volleyball she’s the tiniest of saplings – Yuki had only begun taking lessons this past autumn and Tooru had quickly cottoned on that she had no idea where her hands and feet were. Now, after Tooru’s excellent coaching, her coordination has improved from being absolutely terrible to only <i>occasionally</i> terrible. But she’s Tooru’s favourite because she’s got the happiest, toothiest smile and absolutely lights up whenever she sees Tooru, demonstrating excellent taste. She had been the first to rocket straight into his arms when he had croaked out, "How about one last group hug for your Oikawa-san, hmm?"</p><p>Of course, the rest of them had been only seconds behind her and now Tooru’s piled under twelve children between ages seven and ten, each at differing levels of skill and distress. Even Takeru looks uncharacteristically weepy where he’s clinging to his friends at the outer edges of the group. Tooru’s going to miss that little troublemaker so much he feels sick with it.</p><p>"But I’m still learning how to do a receive!"</p><p>"I still don’t know how to do a jump serve!"</p><p>"Can you come and visit? How long does it take to drive here from Argentina?"</p><p>"There, there," soothes Tooru, wiping at his eyes before patting every little head he can reach. "While it’s true that no one will be as good a teacher as me–" He pretends he doesn’t hear Takeru’s groan– "I’m sure you’ll all continue to grow and improve with whoever has the privilege to take over this class."</p><p>Yuki wipes her face on Tooru’s shirt. Disgusting, he thinks fondly. "What’s privilege?" </p><p>"It means... good luck." This isn’t actually true but captures the spirit. Very seriously, he adds, "None of you are allowed to like my replacement more than me, okay? You have to promise. Oikawa-san must always stay your favourite."</p><p>This starts a fresh round of tears from both Tooru and the kids. A round which probably would have gone on for another ten minutes if Yuki-chan’s dad hadn’t come by to detangle his octopus-limbed daughter from Tooru. This successfully gets everyone else going and disperses the group, and Tooru receives multiple handshakes, thanks, and well wishes for the future – along with variations of, "Argentina! Wow! I don’t think I’d ever let my kid go overseas to pursue his dreams of becoming a professional athlete, haha! But you do you, Oikawa-kun!" – all of which he takes with a sparkling smile.  </p><p>The gym eventually clears. Takeru sits against the wall and pointedly doesn’t do anything while Tooru puts away the net and gathers the volleyballs. He’s unimpressed by Tooru threatening to tell Hiromi nee-chan that her son’s a disrespectful miscreant who can’t even be bothered to help his favourite uncle. </p><p>"You’re not even my favourite uncle," says Takeru. </p><p>"I’m your <i>only</i> uncle, you little twerp," says Tooru, grabbing Takeru in a headlock.</p><p>"No you’re not, Dad has like three brothers – urgh, let go of me you psycho–"</p><p>"Uh," interrupts the person who Takeru owes his life to, because Tooru was definitely about to murder him. With his words, obviously. Not for real. You can’t arrest someone for a thought crime. "Excuse me. Oikawa-san?" </p><p>Tooru quickly lets go of Takeru and spins around. "Yes! How can I help you?"</p><p>The person speaking is a young lady maybe a few years younger than Tooru. She looks very much like ten year-old Ishida Yusuke, who has been coming to Little Tykes’ for almost as long as Tooru’s been teaching there. Yusuke, who is standing beside her but staring determinedly at the ground and grasping a box tightly in his hands. </p><p>If Yuki's his favourite because she’s cute and happy, then Yusuke’s Tooru’s favourite because he’s absolutely unhinged – this kid’s had more accidents than the rest of the class combined because he treats the number one rule of "don’t let the ball touch the ground" like it’s a sacred decree. If anyone in this class is going to have a future in volleyball, it’s this kid. Tooru’s absolutely going to miss this little monster, even though he’s not going to miss the bi-monthly meetings with the program coordinator on how it’s Tooru’s responsibility to limit liability and maybe they should recommend another program for Yusuke-kun? </p><p>Another program, for one of Tooru’s loyal students? Never. Tooru takes great pride in the fact that he successfully prevented the coordinator from pretending that the class was full when Yusuke’s registration had come through for the third year last July. Sure, he needs different instructions than the other kids, but Tooru’s a setter whose entire ethos is to adapt his own style to help draw out the potential of his team. Tooru likes to think of these mini-humans as his team in that respect. He’s there to help them succeed. </p><p>"Yusakkun! My favourite disciple," beams Tooru, kneeling down to be at a level with him. "What’s keeping you here after everyone else is gone? Do you want me to tell you again all the reasons why Shiratorizawa is the absolute worst school, and why you should never, ever go there when you’re older if you have any loyalty to your wonderful teacher?" </p><p>Yusuke grows smaller. Tooru makes his smile less bright, less beautiful, more warm. He looks from Yusuke, back to the girl who must be his big sister. Why does she look so anxious? Tooru has the kind of face that’s designed to put people at ease! Ask anyone! </p><p>...Ask anyone but Iwa-chan! </p><p>"Oikawa-san. I’m Yusuke’s older sister, Michiru," she says, nudging Yusuke’s shoulder. "And Yusuke has something he’d like to tell you."</p><p>"Oh? That sounds mysterious! I’m all ears."</p><p>Yusuke doesn’t say anything. He’s not exactly a talkative kid, but this is – this is concerning. The box in Yusuke’s hands almost crumple. This kid’s practically vibrating from nervousness. </p><p>Frowning, Tooru prompts, "Yusakkun? What’s up?"</p><p>After another few seconds of no response, Ishida Michiru sighs. But, Tooru notes curiously, it’s not in annoyance – it’s in relief. "Ah, nevermind. Sorry to disturb you. Come on, Yusuke, let’s go home so Oikawa-san can finish cleaning up–"</p><p>Immediately, little Yusuke’s head snaps up.</p><p>"No!" he says very loudly. His eyes are very wide. "No, we can’t go home! I have – I have something to say to Oikawa-san!"</p><p>"Yusuke," his sister starts, but Yusuke must have the same spirit that Tooru does – that Iwa-chan does, that Mattsun and Makki and Takeru and Hiromi nee-chan and all of Tooru’s favourite people do – because he determinedly takes a step forward, the threat of no longer being able to do something making him determined to do it all the more.</p><p>"Oikawa-san," says Yusuke with all such sombre gravitas that Tooru half expects him to confess to murdering Tooru’s cat, and Tooru doesn’t even have a cat– "this is for you!"</p><p>He chucks the box at Tooru’s face and Tooru fumbles to catch it. </p><p>"Oh," he says, turning the box carefully in his hands. "Is this – a present? For me? Can I open it now?" Yusuke doesn’t look like he’s in any state to answer, but his sister nods. Tooru gleefully tears into the package and– "Milk breads!" he says happily, tearing a piece and popping it into his mouth. Years of experience has him fully prepared to school his face and cheerfully lie in case it tastes horrible, but to Tooru’s surprise it’s excellent.  </p><p>He knew he was right to have Yusakkun as a favourite!</p><p>"Yusakkun! This is delicious. Thank you very much." He turns his head and glares at Takeru, shoving the rest of the slice into his mouth. "Why can’t you be more like him?"</p><p>In response, Takeru sticks his tongue out. Tooru makes the same face back at him. No way is he sharing this gift with Takeru after <i>this</i> behaviour.</p><p>Yusuke’s hands are curled into fists when Oikawa turns back. </p><p>"Oikawa-san!" he shouts, even though Tooru’s a foot away from him. "I wanted to tell you that – that you’re the best teacher I’ve ever had! And you’re definitely the best volleyball player! And you’re really tall and really nice and really smart and – and r-really really pretty! I wanted to tell you that!" Tooru stares in shock as Yusuke abruptly bows, face red, and yells, possibly still with the same breath he started with, "Thank you for teaching us! I hope we play together one day!"</p><p>The silence that follows is deafening. </p><p>"Uh," he hears Takeru whisper behind him. "What?"</p><p>Tooru gapes. "Oh my God," he hears Yusuke’s sister say. Yusuke is still bowing, his eyes clenched shut and Tooru can’t believe, can’t believe that this kid – this ten year-old little kid– </p><p>Tooru’s eyes instantly grow hot. He blinks away the wetness and realizes why Yusuke’s older sister had looked so anxious. When he glances at her now, though, she looks – well, she looks like she can’t believe what’s going on but – she’s definitely much more at ease. <i>Please be gentle,</i> she seems to be saying. </p><p>Swallowing around the lump in his throat, Tooru croaks, "Yusakkun, please stand up." </p><p>Too serious. Yusuke stays frozen in place. The well of graciousness and charm Tooru usually draws from when he deals with his fans is nowhere to be found and Tooru’s mind is drawing up a blank. Tooru gets gifts and confessions weekly! He knows how to react to earnest declarations and make sure they don’t end in broken hearts. There should be absolutely no struggle here.</p><p>But little Yusuke isn’t exactly a fan, is he? </p><p>He tries, "It’s so nice of you to say these things." That’s a good start, and also has the benefit of being true. "It makes me feel very special, and very grateful to know that my best student is also a very kind one." </p><p>Yusuke’s face somehow gets redder, but to Tooru’s relief he starts to slowly straighten.</p><p>"I’m not the best," he says. He squints at Tooru, face still blotchy. "Tatsuya’s way better than me."</p><p>Tooru could almost weep. Volleyball, once more his saving grace. Something he can talk about no matter what. The constant of his heart when everything else feels strange and uncertain.</p><p>"Tatsuya-kun," begins Tooru, but is interrupted by Takeru mumbling, "That guy’s the worst," and Tooru agrees but even he has limits and shittalking an elementary school student to his peer is apparently it, no matter <i>how</i> aggravating said elementary school student is. It’s hard work being a good person. </p><p>Thankfully Takeru, also being an elementary school student, has no such moral restrictions.</p><p>"Tatsuya-kun’s got better aim and reaction time than you," allows Tooru. "But you’re the fastest on the court! I can always count on Yusakkun to keep the ball in the air. That’s what makes you a special player." </p><p>Michiru sounds a little sniffly as she says, "Did you hear that Yusuke? Oikawa-san thinks you’re a special player."</p><p>Ignoring his sister and looking at Tooru, Yusuke says, "Yeah?"</p><p>"Would I lie to you? About <i>volleyball?"</i> Yusuke shakes his head. Tooru holds up a fist. "That’s right. So keep working hard and one day I’ll see you on the court as equals."</p><p>Yusuke's eyes are bright as he taps Tooru’s knuckles with his own. "I promise I’ll keep working hard, Oikawa-san!" </p><p>"I know you will. Always go after what you want, all right? You’re the gutsiest – I don’t think I’ve met a kid or a grown up who’s got as much guts as you." </p><p>Yusuke looks very shy. Tooru wants to cry for real. "Really?" he asks.</p><p>"Really." He doesn’t think he’s ever meant anything as sincerely as he does this. </p><p>Iwa-chan told him, when Tooru had first broke the news of going overseas: "You’re a fucking maniac – but you’re gonna make it. Of course you are. You don’t know how not to." Iwa-chan had said, "You’ve never been scared of anything in your entire life, have you?" And Tooru had looked at Iwa-chan’s face, more dear and more familiar and more loved than any other, and thought with no hesitation, <i>there’s one thing.</i></p><p>It’s not being in an unfamiliar place with an unfamiliar language, without his family, without his friends, with nothing but the chance of playing. Tooru’s not scared of any of that. Or maybe he is – of course he is – but he’s always been able to conquer that kind of fear. Those kinds of fears can be dealt with by memorizing irregular conjugations – <i>yo quise, tú quisiste, él quiso</i> – by watching Ponyo with his sister for the hundredth time and believing her when she says, "We’ll do this a hundred more times, ototo." They can be dealt with by haranguing promises from his friends to mail him snacks from back home, from quietly talking with Blanco-san over the phone. These things are frightening in ways that are manageable.</p><p><i>I have something to say,</i> and maybe it’s because he’s still small, maybe it’s because this isn’t love and there’s no expectation or want of reciprocity. Maybe it’s because little Ishida Yusuke is ten times bolder and braver than Tooru is or will ever be. Maybe it’s all of these reasons, together. But in the mostly empty gymnasium where Tooru’s been sharing one of the great loves of his life for the past three years with these gangly children, Tooru finds himself sharing: </p><p>"You really are, Yusakkun. I’ve never had what it takes to tell someone that I – what I like about them before. It always seemed too scary."</p><p>"Oh," says Yusuke, looking down again. "Oh, um. It’s not too bad. Especially, um, especially if they’re nice."</p><p>Once more, Tooru has no idea what to say. This kid is nuts. Tooru’s going to– </p><p>"This is starting to get kinda lame," says Takeru, yawning. "Are we done now? I’m hungry."</p><p>–Tooru’s going to kill his nephew.</p><p>-<br/>
-</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>IWAIZUMI HAJIME</b>
</p><p>On an otherwise unremarkable Monday night, Oikawa shows up at Hajime's door with a half-crazed look on his face and goes, "I have something to tell you," before he takes Hajime’s face in between his hands and kisses him.</p><p>Hajime kisses back. </p><p><i>Of course</i> Hajime kisses him back. Hajime’s wanted to kiss Oikawa since he was old enough to know what it meant to kiss someone, to know what it meant to want someone in that special, permanent way and – and Oikawa’s lips are excruciatingly soft. His lips are soft, warm. The press of his nose is startlingly cold from the brisk February chill. His thumbs are rough from calluses where they graze Hajime’s cheeks. If Hajime’s having some kind of stress induced hallucination because of finals, the fifth straight day without sunlight, and the fact that in just over two months he and his best friend will be an entire ocean apart, having never answered this giant, unasked question between the two of them, then – well. Hajime would have to be an idiot not to take full advantage of this delusion before being pulled back to reality. </p><p>Oikawa’s kissing him. Even without any lead up or understanding, there was never a question that Hajime would seize the front of Oikawa’s coat, pull him that much closer, and kiss back.</p><p>The whole thing lasts for about three seconds. And then Oikawa’s pulling back. He stares at Hajime in shock, as though <i>he’s</i> the one that has no idea what’s happening. Hajime stares back at him – at Oikawa’s wide eyes, his pink, parted mouth, the little puffs of air that are condensing and dispersing in between them – and Hajime– </p><p>"I," starts Oikawa, wetting his lips. They are frozen in a tableau. Oikawa’s hands are still cradling Hajime’s face and Hajime’s hands are still holding on to Oikawa’s coat. They’re still at the door, the most liminal of places: Hajime inside the house and Oikawa’s on the doorstep and any minute now Dad’s going to grumble about how Hajime’s letting all the heat out of the house. "I wanted – Iwa-chan–" </p><p>Oikawa sounds uncharacteristically lost and that’s just not acceptable, is it? Not to Hajime, not when three seconds ago Oikawa’s eyes had been blazing hot with determination and there’s absolutely nothing else for Hajime to do except rasp out, "Me too. Me too, Tooru." </p><p>"Yeah?" Oikawa’s voice is quiet. Hajime thinks he understands what it means for someone to have a piercing gaze: the way Oikawa is looking at him – Hajime feels run through, cracked open. </p><p>"Yeah," and then Hajime’s kissing Oikawa again, right at the center of that blossoming smile, bright and dazzling. </p><p>This time, Hajime kisses him for a lot longer than three seconds. </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>It isn’t until later – after kissing Oikawa some more in the warmth and familiarity of Hajime’s room – that Hajime gives into the curiosity that’s been bubbling inside of him since Oikawa showed up at his door: "Why now?"</p><p>"Hmm?" </p><p>"Why’d you–" Hajime doesn’t know how to say it, how to just go, <i>what happened before you came here? What made you look like that, like you were burning up inside? What had you make this jump today but not yesterday, today and not tomorrow, a jump that I still wouldn’t have the balls to?</i> "What happened today?"</p><p>"Oh," says Oikawa, understanding blooming on his face. "<i>Oh.</i> Well. Let’s just say I was inspired by someone. If I hadn’t done it now – well. I don’t know if I’d have had it in me to do it tomorrow."</p><p>Hajime looks at him suspiciously. "Oikawa. What aren’t you saying?"</p><p>"I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about."</p><p>
  <i>"Oikawa."</i>
</p><p>Oikawa flops down on the bed with a sigh. "Someone confessed to me today."</p><p>"You get confessions every day."</p><p>A little frown appears on Oikawa’s forehead and Hajime reaches forward to smooth it out with his thumb. He can just act on these instincts now, thinks Hajime, almost lightheaded with the knowledge. Incredible. </p><p>Then Oikawa says, "No."</p><p>"No?"</p><p>"This wasn’t like that. It was different. Special." Oikawa pauses, hesitating. "I don’t know, Iwa-chan. He was just very brave. Gave me the kick I needed, I guess."</p><p>Oikawa literally showed up to his house just an hour ago to kiss him, to then say in no uncertain terms, <i>This means I’m in love with you.</i> Oikawa just shared this story to explain what inspired the whole incident. Hajime knows all this and yet the first thought that comes to his mind is:</p><p>Shittykawa, what the fuck? What kind of answer was that? Does he need to worry about this? What exactly is a "brave" "special" confession that impressed someone like <i>Oikawa?</i> </p><p>"...Who exactly is this?"</p><p>"Why, are you looking for someone to thank for finally having me in your arms?" teases Oikawa. "It’s no one Iwa-chan needs to concern his little head with," he assures and the sheer annoyingness of that response is alleviated only because the kiss he presses to Hajime’s frown is so sweet. </p><p>It lowers Hajime’s guard. Makes him forget that this is Shittykawa, and he never misses an opportunity to raise Hajime’s blood pressure. </p><p>Lips grazing against Hajime’s ear, Oikawa murmurs, "At least not for another ten years."</p><p>It takes a beat. But when the words finally register in Hajime’s brain, he demands, "What the hell does <i>that</i> mean?" and Oikawa’s laughing, laughing too hard to answer, too hard to stop Hajime from shoving him off the bed. </p><p>"Ow," gasps Oikawa, but he still keeps laughing. "Ow, Iwa-chan, your face – I’m going to die. I’m going to burst my spleen and actually die–"</p><p>He really is a crazy bastard, thinks Hajime. But he can’t stop his face from softening, knowing full well that this kind of overt weakness is the reason Oikawa never lets up with his bullshit. </p><p>It works out, because Hajime doesn’t ever want him to.</p><p>-<br/>
-</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>APRIL 2022</b>
</p><p>
  <b>ISHIDA YUSUKE</b>
</p><p>At the end of the second day of tryouts for the Club Athletico San Juan, Mateo Vasquez finds Yusuke. <i>Mateo Vasquez</i> personally comes up to Yusuke and tells him that his serves could "crack a skull" and that it reminded him of a certain someone. It’s all that Yusuke can do to not pass out. </p><p>"You model your play after San Juan’s resident monster?"</p><p>"Yes, sir," replies Yusuke. "I’m not a setter, but I’ve looked up to Oikawa-san for a very long time. I came here to play with him."</p><p>"You’re right out of high school, huh? Didn’t want to try for your V-League back home?"</p><p>Yusuke shakes his head. He spent all of middle and high school going to Spanish lessons Wednesday evenings after practice. This has always been the road Yusuke was going to walk down for volleyball.</p><p>"No, sir. This has always been my first choice." </p><p>Mateo Vasquez grins at that. "Well, well. Tooru’s going to like hearing that way too much. Keep up your A-game, Thirteen. Looking forward to seeing you in action again tomorrow!" </p><p>Yusuke nods and thanks him, and Mateo Vasquez – Mateo Vasquez! – goes off to talk to some of the other players who are finishing off their cool down stretches. Tomorrow is day three of three of the tryouts. Javier Torres and Gabriel Silva had also popped in for the last third of the day today to observe, but the entire current starting line is expected to be there for the final round. </p><p>Yusuke knows this. He’s known this since day one, when the coaches had laid out the schedule and explained the process so that there were no surprises as to what was coming. </p><p>He knows this, but it still doesn’t do anything to prepare him when he sees Oikawa-san the next morning.</p><p>Everyone who knows Yusuke knows that Oikawa-san has been a huge inspiration for Yusuke’s single-minded pursuit of volleyball. They know that Yusuke has wanted to be one of Oikawa Tooru’s spikers since he was a clumsy seven year-old in Little Tykes’ Volleyball in Sendai. They know that Oikawa-san was the first person to coach Yusuke and set to him. </p><p>But what is less known is that Oikawa-san had been the first person who’d looked at Yusuke struggling to follow instructions and instead of thinking he was stupid and not trying hard enough, Oikawa-san had said, "Yusakkun, what I said before was confusing, wasn’t it? How about I try to say it another way and you tell me if that makes sense?" And that had changed everything.</p><p>Yusuke has loved volleyball for a very long time. It’s been a source of fun, of comfort, of exhilarating joy and unfathomable devastation. But what most people don’t know is that at the beginning, he’d loved volleyball not for the game itself but because Oikawa-san was there. He hadn’t even seen Oikawa-san play – the way he <i>really</i> plays, and not just demonstrating things to kids in class – until what turned out to be Oikawa-san’s final high school match, which he’d begged Michiru nee-san to take him to watch. Oikawa-san had been everything Yusuke had told him: he’d been the best teacher and the best volleyball player and far too good looking for Yusuke’s ten-year old brain to process. But he’d also always said things like, "I’m a setter, Yusakkun. Do you know what that means? It means that I’m here to help <i>you</i> be your best. And helping means that sometimes I need to do things differently, and sometimes you do," whenever Yusuke would mess up.   </p><p>It made perfect sense that Yusuke had liked Oikawa-san so much. It would’ve been crazy if he <i>hadn’t.</i> And he’d been so nice to Yusuke on his final day at the program, a memory that’s so excruciatingly embarrassing that Yusuke wants to die every time he remembers it no matter how many times his sister tells him that it had been very brave, and that Oikawa-san had appreciated it. Oikawa-san had been so nice, and Yusuke had felt so warm and comforted afterward, that he hadn’t even realized that rejections could actually be awful and humiliating until he’d confessed to Matsumoto Kouji in seventh grade and then spent the next three weeks begging his parents to let him switch schools. </p><p>Over the years Yusuke has seen some of Oikawa-san’s games on the internet. He had, of course, watched him during the Olympics. But seeing Oikawa-san in person, even from a distance – still larger than life, still impossible to look away from – it’s different. Yusuke has admired him professionally – has <i>liked</i> him personally, tremendously – for so long now that it sends both fierce terror and fierce determination down his veins to know he is so very close to playing with him again. As equals, as Oikawa-san had said so many years ago. </p><p>On the court, Yusuke brings out his A-game.</p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Afterward, Mateo Vasquez drags Yusuke over to meet Oikawa-san. </p><p>"Tooru loves people who love him," he assures Yusuke. "And he was very impressed with your defensive play – you actually got a, ‘holy shit,’ out of him with that one save." He then proceeds to shatter whatever comfort that had brought by continuing, "I told him you came all the way from Japan to play with him."</p><p>"Oh," manages Yusuke. His sounds faint even to his own ears. <i>Mateo Vasquez,</i> he thinks, despairing, <i>why would you do this to me?</i> </p><p>"Of course he ate that up," continues Mateo Vasquez fondly, oblivious to Yusuke’s growing horror. "No matter what decision the coaches make, I’m sure he’d want to give you some tips and – Toto!" he says cheerfully. "I have someone who wants to talk to his hero!"</p><p>Oikawa-san turns to look at him and Yusuke forgets how to speak. Yusuke had forgotten what it’s like to be near Oikawa-san. He suddenly feels small and awkward again, like Oikawa-san might have to kneel down to talk to him, like he’s eight, ten years old and struck dumb with awe by how cool Oikawa-san is, how nice and handsome and perfect and–  </p><p>And then Oikawa-san demands, accusingly, "Yusakkun, how dare you grow taller than your Oikawa-san! You’re only in fifth grade!"</p><p>Yusuke takes a step back at the volume, blinking rapidly. </p><p>He doesn’t remember Oikawa-san ever talking like this.</p><p>"Wait a second, do you <i>know</i> this kid?" asks Mateo Vasquez suspiciously at the same time Yusuke dumbly replies, "I’m – I've finished high school."</p><p>"No you haven’t," denies Oikawa-san firmly. But he’s smiling at Yusuke and it’s – it’s a lot. It’s even more than when he used to smile at the kids at Little Tykes’ Volleyball. "You’re little Ishida Yusuke, you’re ten years old, and even though you aren’t very good at most things, what you’re the best at is stopping the ball from hitting the ground."</p><p>Oh, God. </p><p><i>Oikawa-san remembers.</i> Oikawa-san remembers what an incompetent disaster Yusuke was as a child. </p><p>"It’s the number one rule," he mumbles, face growing hot. "I didn’t think Oikawa-san would, um, recognize me."</p><p>Oikawa-san laughs, but it’s not unkind.</p><p>"I actually wasn’t sure," he admits. "Until you crashed into the coach’s bench in that one play, getting the ball back over the net." </p><p>To an increasingly incredulous-looking Mateo Vasquez, Oikawa-san explains, "I used to teach Yusakkun volleyball in an after-school program when he was in elementary school. He’d always be running into things trying to keep the ball in play. He’s the reason they had to put in a waiver in the sign-up form!"</p><p>Yusuke hopes that’s a joke.</p><p>Oikawa-san sounds very warm when he says, "Best student in class. The gutsiest. Glad to see you kept at it, Yusakkun." </p><p>Yusuke is saved from having to answer by Oikawa-san taking out his phone. "If you already had plans tonight then you need to cancel them. You’re coming over to my house for dinner. Do you have any allergies?"</p><p>Yusuke has no idea how this is happening. "I’m – I’m sorry?"</p><p>"Do you have anything you can’t eat?" repeats Oikawa-san.</p><p>"Uh, no." Overwhelmed, Yusuke says, "Oikawa-san, it’s really not necessary–"</p><p>"Just let him," advises Mateo Vasquez. "You’ll soon see that most of what this guy does is unnecessary. Somehow always works out, though."</p><p>"But–"</p><p>Oikawa-san is the type of person who, apparently, doesn’t need to say anything to get other people to shut up. He just has to look at them. </p><p>Swallowing back his protests, Yusuke helplessly agrees, "Thank you, Oikawa-san. If it’s no trouble."</p><p>"What trouble! Iwa-chan and I feed Mateo twice a week no matter how disrespectful he is to his elders. And you sure appreciate the unnecessary effort we put there, <i>Mateo</i>." </p><p>This makes Yusuke nervous again. He feels bad enough taking up Oikawa-san’s time without dragging Oikawa-san’s husband into it as well. "Oikawa-san, are you sure? I wouldn’t want to impose." </p><p>"Yusakkun, if it was an imposition I wouldn’t have asked. Really, if anything, Iwa-chan should be thanking you for–" and here, Oikawa-san’s expression changes into something else. It’s the same look his nephew Shinji always gets whenever his dad warns, <i>Shinji, no.</i> The look usually means, <i>Shinji, yes.</i> "Hmm. No, you’re definitely coming. No excuses. Iwa-chan would love to meet you."</p><p>"Oh?" Yusuke gives Mateo Vasquez a nervous look. <i>What’s he talking about?</i> he tries to ask with his eyes to which he just receives a, <i>hell if I know,</i> shrug. </p><p>"Trust me," says Oikawa-san. "This is gonna be great."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thank you for reading!! here is the <a href="https://twitter.com/bbk_writes/status/1336442187794567169?s=20">tweet for the fic</a> if you'd like to share &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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